Tuesday, March 9, 2010

My husband cut two of his fingers last night on a table saw. Yes...a saw. As in, chop chop, bzzzzzz...and....Freddy Kruger has come to visit. (I am sure I spelled that incorrectly; but, I am not really into Googling Freddy to find out.) You get the picture.

So, through the squeals of my children in the bath and over my threats of yanking them out of the tub if they didn't stop trying to drown one another, I hear the screams of my husband from downstairs. Initially when I heard him yell, "Crystall!" I thought he was about to get upset at me for yelling at the children. But, I was wrong. "Crystall, I just cut my hand on the saw and I need to go to the ER!" My mouth dropped open. I looked down at the kids who were all wet and sporting mohawks made of shampoo-saturated hair. I immediately yelled back while I was ever-so-quickly trying to dump full cups of water over their heads. "I'll drive you!" Then I realized that there was really no way I could get the children rinsed, dressed and in the car in enough time to take Rick to the ER. He was bleeding pretty badly. So, sadly, I agreed that he could drive himself- even though his face was as white as a sheet. Rick wanted to go alone anyway; but, as far as I was concerned, that moment was not the time to be independent.

I called in my reinforcements- Rick's step-mom and his sister. They came over, took care of the children, and I rushed out the door.

A few stitches were added to Rick's mangled fingers last night until the Orthopedic surgeon could look at it today. The good news is: he still has all of his fingers. The bad news is: the tip of one is pretty mangled and may require additional surgeries to repair a cut tendon. Some pieces of his bone are broken and/or missing. The other finger that was cut is doing well--only a few stitches.

This accident could have been worse, I know. I thank God that it wasn't. But, it goes without saying that we could have lived just fine without this added drama.

Now, for the cruel joke part...

Anyone who knows me knows that my ex-husband had his finger cut very badly when we were first married. Although it was "only a finger" it did change the course of our lives and our relationship forever. Like Rick, my ex's finger was repaired but needed more surgeries-- coincidentally, for tendon repair. Years and years of drama followed my ex's accident, surgery after surgery, an honorable (medical) discharge from the military, and tons of emotional baggage piled high. My ex and I were young...and, maybe, just not as strong as what we both thought and wanted to be.

Now, how will this impact Rick and I? How strange that the accidents are so similar. And... am I destined for fingerless husbands? I know this is not funny, but...seriously!!! Is this a freakin' joke?

So, I will continue on with my prayers- most of them I say in hopes that this accident only makes Rick and I stronger, makes us realize that together we can be strong and that a finger is really.....only a finger and not the basis of our lives or love for one another. The other prayers are in thanks to God for watching and protecting Rick (me, and the children) from much worse catastrophes.

The Constant Talker

Hi, I'm Crystall and a while ago I decided to start writing about my life: the daily struggles, sometimes heart-breaking sacrifices, gut-wrenching decision-making, and heart-bursting love for my husband and three young children--darn hooligans! This blog is an honest peek at the ups, the downs, and all of the drama that is so worthy of blah blah blahbitty blahing about.